A systematic review of digital interventions for improving the diet and physical activity behaviors of adolescents

Many adolescents have poor diet and physical activity behaviors, which can lead to the development of noncommunicable diseases in later life. Digital platforms offer inexpensive means of delivering health interventions, but little is known about their effectiveness. This systematic review was conducted to synthesize evidence on the effectiveness of digital interventions to improve diet quality and increase physical activity in adolescents, to effective intervention components and to assess the cost-effectiveness of these interventions. Following a systematic search, abstracts were assessed against inclusion criteria, and data extraction and quality assessment were performed for included studies. Data were analyzed to identify key features that are associated with significant improvement in behavior. A total of 27 studies met inclusion criteria. Most (n = 15) were Web site interventions. Other delivery methods were text messages, games, multicomponent interventions, emails, and social media. Significant behavior change was often seen when interventions included education, goal setting, self-monitoring, and parental involvement. None of the publications reported cost-effectiveness. Due to heterogeneity of studies, meta-analysis was not feasible.It is possible to effect significant health behavior change in adolescents through digital interventions that incorporate education, goal setting, self-monitoring, and parental involvement. Most of the evidence relates to Web sites and further research into alternate media is needed, and longer term outcomes should be evaluated. There is a paucity of data on the cost-effectiveness of digital health interventions, and future trials should report these data

Shaping a Healthier Generation: Successful State Strategies to Prevent Childhood Obesity

Provides an overview of the socioeconomic and environmental risk factors and costs of childhood obesity. Presents examples of state policies to prevent the epidemic by promoting healthy behaviors in child care, school, community, and healthcare settings

Smartphones

Many of the research approaches to smartphones actually regard them as more or less transparent points of access to other kinds of communication experiences. That is, rather than considering the smartphone as something in itself, the researchers look at how individuals use the smartphone for their communicative purposes, whether these be talking, surfing the web, using on-line data access for off-site data sources, downloading or uploading materials, or any kind of interaction with social media. They focus not so much on the smartphone itself but on the activities that people engage in with their smartphones

Exploring Interpretations of Data from the Internet of Things in the Home

The ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) can be expected to radically increase the amount of potentially sensitive data gathered in our homes. This study explores the social implications of the presentation of data that could be collected within the household. In particular, it focuses on how ambiguities in these data, combined with existing interpersonal relationships, could influence social dynamics. Thirty-five participants were each presented with three separate household scenarios, involving ambiguous data that were collected and presented via near-future IoT technologies. Each participant was asked to respond to a series of open and closed questions about how they would interpret the data, how they would react to it and their general opinions of the technologies presented. Through qualitative and quantitative analysis of their responses, we contribute an understanding of how people interpret information about those around them. We find a common willingness to make inferences based on ambiguities within the data, even when participants are aware of the limitations of their understanding. We also find that sharing data produced via tagging of everyday objects raises a high level of privacy concern, and that, in a somewhat incoherent stance, users are more comfortable in sharing data publicly than in a targeted fashion with commercial organizations. Our findings also suggest that the age of the target user group has a greater effect on ease of use judgements than the nature of the technology, and we find some evidence that user’s interpretations can be biased by an individual’s age

Anak Jakarta; A Sketch Of Indonesian Youth Identity

Anak Jakarta refers to the youth of Jakarta, the trend-setters of the Indonesian youth. This paper gives a sketch of the youth in Jakarta as characterized by their appearance, language and lifestyle. Information is derived from discussions and personal contact with different groups of youth and parents (adults with children) in Jakarta; literature review, observations, as well as from flashbacks given by the adults, providing a portrait of anak Jakarta since late 1980's. The youth in Jakarta is Western (American) oriented, copying from the mass- and social media, often times conflicting with local norms and parental advices. Anak Jakarta profile includes: youth created slang language, school gang fights (tawuran) and brand minded consumerism. Jakarta youth has become the role model for most youth all over Indonesia, especially Jakarta migrant youth. Family upbringing, social contact, peer group and the media play a crucial role in forming, transforming and disseminating the characteristics anak Jakarta identity

Factors Affecting Customer’s Preferences to Buy Cellular Phone for Local versus International Brands: (A Case Study in Pakistan)

Purpose This study was aimed to find out Factors Affecting Customer’s Preferences to buy cellular phone for Local versus International Brands. The increasing use of mobile phones and existence of several cell phone brands with number of features enhances the researcher to study the factors which affect the buying behavior of the consumers. Methodology/ Sample The data was collected through an online questionnaire containing 19 questions including demographic factors. The questionnaire was shared through social networking website and 150 responses were received. The respondents belonged to different age groups, income brackets, education level etc. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and graphical analysis. Chi-square testing was done to test the hypothesis. Findings The study found that the international brand were preferred over the local brands as the overall results suggest that the people liked most of the features of those brands which were the international brands say Nokia and Samsung. Other than this all four factors such as color choice preference, brand image preference, Smart Features and cultural effect are all significant. They are the factors that people bring in their consideration while they decide to purchase the mobile. Practical Implications The mobile phone manufacturers may take the customers perception in consideration while they are developing their products and they may introduce different attractive colors, they should work on their brand image, they should include smart features in their mobile phones and they should map their brand as the social and cultural image in the consumers’ minds. Keywords:Mobile phone, international brands, local brands, Chi-square testing

Already at a disadvantage? ICT in the home and children's preparation for primary school. (ICT Research Bursaries 2004 - Final Report)

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of socio-economic disadvantage on pre-school children's development of competences in information and communications technologies (ICT). The study focuses on children's experiences of ICT in the home and in pre-school settings in the year before they begin formal education, and seeks to investigate concepts of advantage and disadvantage in this context. The study also aims to investigate teachers' perceptions of children's ICT competences on entry to school

Starejši moški kot drevesa modrosti z globokimi koreninami

This qualitative study was carried out among older men in the rural municipality of Tartu, Estonia. The data was gathered with the intention of exploring the obstacles encountered and motivational aspects employed when trying to convince older men to share their knowledge. The study revealed the existence of untapped potential in the involvement of older men in the exchange of knowledge. It also highlights didactic solutions for challenges encountered in the processes of older men's learning and knowledge-sharing. The study revealed older men's preferences for practical learning and knowledge-sharing. Men are willing to share their professional skills: that which they have acquired either at work in the household. Older men also demonstrated a lack of flexibility when the correctness of their views was challenged, which may present an obstacle to informal knowledge sharing between generations. The Estonian educational system for the elderly is based on the participants' own initiative and active involvement, but unfortunately this is just what men in the municipality of Tartu lacked.Kvalitativna študija je bila izvedena med populacijo starejših moških v podeželski skupnosti v Tartuju v Estoniji. Podatki so bili zbrani z namenom raziskati ovire, ob katere zadenemo pri poskusu prepričati starejše moške k temu, da bi prenašali svoje znanje, in odkriti potencialne motivacijske dejavnike. Študija je pokazala, da nevključenost starejših moških v izmenjavo znanja pomeni neizkoriščen potencial. Hkrati je osvetlila didaktične rešitve za nekatere izzive v procesih učenja in izmenjave znanja ob udeležbi starejših moških. Študija je razkrila, da so starejši moški bolj naklonjeni praktičnemu učenju in izmenjavi znanja, pri katerih lahko izkoristijo svoje znanje, ki so ga pridobili bodisi v svojem poklicu bodisi pri delu doma. To znanje so pripravljeni prenašati na druge. Hkrati se je pri starejših moških pokazalo pomanjkanje fleksibilnosti, ko gre za dvom o pravilnosti njihovih pogledov, kar bi lahko bila ovira pri izmenjavi znanja med generacijami. Estonski izobraževalni sistem za starejše temelji na pobudi in aktivnosti samih udeležencev, ki pa ju pri moških iz Tartuja ni bilo

Preteens\u27 Engagement With Interactive Technology: Implications For Face-To-Face Interactions And Social Distancing

Interactive technologies are widely accepted as important communication tools. This said, they may not function the same way for all age groups. Preteens, for instance, spend a considerable amount of time with media devices, however their interactions involve little social content. Therefore, for preteens, engagement with technology may create a social disconnect. This can happen in at least two ways. 1) Interactive technologies may displace face-to-face interactions with individuated screen time. 2) Interactive technologies may create social distance by making individuals independent of other people and devices. To address the social correlates and the situational consequences of interactive technology use among preteens, the present research utilized survey and experimental design. Results of the survey indicated that preteens who spend more time with interactive technologies have fewer face-to-face interactions with their family members and friends. Experimental findings of this research provided preliminary support for interactive technologies potential to bolster social distance. Specifically, it was found that priming interactive technologies increases children’s preference for solitude, as evidenced by less willingness to engage with another child on a collage task. Analyses also demonstrated that children from individualistic cultures who hold independent self-construal are more susceptible to the social distancing effect of interactive technologies, than children with collectivist background, who have interdependent self-construal. Results of this research help address pediatricians’, developmentalists’, and parents’ concerns regarding social consequences of interactive technology use for children. The significance of findings for social development, family dynamics, education, and research design are discussed in detail